MS Dhoni calls correctly, opts to bat

MS Dhoni calls correctly, opts to bat

Chennai Super Kings' captain MS Dhoni won the toss and decided to bat first in their Indian Premier League semi-final against defending champions Deccan Chargers at the DY Patil Stadium in Nerul on Thursday.

"We had a good practice session in Chennai, it is a pressure game, it is important for the senior players to keep it simple to show the way for the juniors," says Dhoni.

He will be regretting his decision as the innings progresses, as Chennai managed only a modest total.

But thankfully for him, the match went in his team's favour.

Image: Adam Gilchrist of the Chargers tosses the coin with MS Dhoni of the Super Kings looking on ahead of the 2010 DLF Indian Premier League T20 semi final matchPhotographs: IPL/ Getty Images

Harris exceled with the ball

The Australian bowled a fine first spell to get rid off both the Chennai openers Murali Vijay and Mathew Hayden cheaply.

The team from Chennai had a fortunate start when Hayden (8) a double let-off.

The left-handed Australian opener was dropped twice, by RP Singh and T Suman respectively but he failed to make use of the good fortune and was dismissed in the last ball of the second over.

Murali Vijay (15) followed suit after looking good for a big score when he took 13 runs in the third over from RP Singh, which included a massive six over mid-wicket, before being trapped leg before by Harris.

Jakati also took two wickets

Left-arm spinner Shadab Jakati also chipped in with two crucial wickets to hasten Deccan Charger's fall.

Chasing a modest target (143), the Chargers were never in the game as they lost wickets at regular intervals and their listless batting could be gauged from the fact that Andrew Symonds topscored them with a 22-ball 23.

The Chargers will now return to the same DY Patil Stadium on Saturday where they take on Royal Challengers Bangalore for the third place playoff, which will decide which one of them would join Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings in the Champions League Twenty20 later this year.

Image: Shadab Jakati of the Super Kings celebrates with team mates the wicket of Mohnish Mishra